If you’re considering eco-friendly ways to declutter your home or trying to find out what you can recycle in your house, you are in the right place. There are loads of practical and creative ideas for recycling at home, providing new life to old items.
I am going to change your perspective of throwing things away. Where is “away” anyway?
You’ll find yourself looking at everyday items in your home differently.
Books
While you can recycle magazines, newspapers, and junk mail, recycling books involves a little more complicated. Books that are in relatively good condition should be donated rather than recycled. Many libraries, schools, charities, and secondhand bookstores will accept the old novels that you do not need anymore.
Old Electronics
Regrettably, you cant toss out old electronics with the rest of your recycling. However, that does not mean you can’t be recycled. You can take your old laptops, power cords, televisions, and other electronics to a recycling center. Do your research to find the nearest recycling facility in your community.
Remember, old electronics are full of chemicals and heavy metals that can pollute the environment. So, recycling them is the best option.
Ink Cartridges
Keep in mind that printer cartridges have very toxic ingredients that shouldn’t go into your regular trash.
Luckily, many office supply stores have a recycling center. Some will even reward you for recycling by giving you a discount on your new cartridges.
Batteries
In many states in the US, it is illegal to throw your rechargeable batteries in the trash.
This is because Both rechargeable and single-use batteries can be recycled. Many communities have battery drop-off centers and even mail-in programs to dispose of old batteries.
Holiday Decorations
After the holiday season, it means only one thing, cleaning up! What do you do a broken string of holiday lights, the packing peanuts around your house from mail-in gifts? The good news they’re all recyclable.
Numerous home improvement stores usually take your old holiday lights and Christmas trees in exchange for reward coupons, while some shipping companies will take back your old packing peanuts for reuse.